In January this year The Waifs stepped into 301 Studios in Byron Bay to record with Nick DiDia, who has worked with everyone from Bruce Springsteen and Rage Against The Machine to The Living End and Karnivool. The resulting album, Beautiful You, is a raw and emotionally charged showcase of the stunning songwriting of the Simpson sisters.
The Waifs previous release, Temptation, marked an evolution in the trio’s songwriting and musicality, though it didn’t impress as much as Up All Night or Sun Dirt Water. In Beautiful You, however,The Waifs have produced a solid record made up of 12 brightly shining tracks.
Dark Highway sounds like guitarist Joshua Cunningham has been listening to a tonne of Bob Dylan, and it’s quite possibly the strongest song of his career. 6000 Miles talks about the distance between Vikki Thorn (nee Simpson)’s current home of Utah and her Western Australia birthplace. There’s a touch of sadness to the track, which hints at a longing to be back home. It’s a slow reflective number, filled with reverb drenched electric guitar trills. The bridge is especially emotional, as Thorn sings “Not even oceans can keep us apart.”
Penultimate track Born To Love is a rollicking number, featuring Cunningham on vocals. Overall, Beautiful You is full of delicate and honest songwriting, which’ll keep your feet tapping and your heart warm long after its conclusion.
BY TEX MILLER
